0:00

All aboard!

0:05

Tickets, please. Find

0:08

your seats. The

0:10

train will be departing shortly. You're

0:15

aboard the Sleepless Express.

0:18

A direct journey into the darkness

0:21

of the night. There

0:24

are no sleeping cars available

0:26

on this train. On

0:30

this journey, you will experience

0:32

the horrors found within the

0:34

dark landscapes and endless black

0:37

tunnels. You will

0:39

hear things which will leave you

0:41

frightened and disturbed. And

0:44

remember, there will be

0:47

no stops until the very

0:49

end of the line. Brace

0:54

yourself for the No

0:56

Sleep Podcast. Welcome

1:19

aboard the No Sleep Podcast.

1:22

I'm your conductor, David Cummings.

1:27

In the horror genre, we're often

1:29

confronted with people doing terrible things.

1:32

Things which don't require a lot of debate

1:34

as to the rightness or wrongness of their

1:37

actions. Serial killers slicing

1:39

and dicing people up? I

1:41

dare say we can all call that bad

1:43

behavior. But let's face it,

1:46

we live in a world where the lines

1:48

between good and bad are becoming more and

1:50

more blurred. And it leads

1:52

us as a society to consider a

1:55

concept which always stirs strong opinions. Morality.

1:59

You don't have to look at it.

2:01

far to find things happening in our

2:03

world that might seem unconscionable to us,

2:05

but then there are others out there

2:07

adamantly defending that behavior. Our

2:09

morals can be a very personal thing

2:12

to us, lines we simply refuse to

2:14

cross on principle. But if

2:16

a bunch of other people in our society don't

2:18

share our morals, well, what is

2:20

there to do other than simply trying to

2:22

stick to our own beliefs? There

2:25

is much discussion online about

2:27

concepts like entitlement and privilege.

2:30

Should I be allowed to do something even

2:32

if it affects or bothers someone else? Haven't

2:35

I earned the right to do this or that?

2:38

I worked hard for my money. I

2:41

can't help it if others... Why,

2:43

why, it's not my fault if some people...

2:48

All concepts of morality we've heard

2:50

over and over. In

2:53

this episode, we present to you tales

2:55

which ask us to consider the morality

2:57

of people's actions. Maybe

3:00

they mean well, maybe they don't care

3:02

what anyone else thinks. But

3:05

either way, we are confronted with

3:07

that most fickle of philosophical instruments,

3:10

the moral compass. And

3:12

you can be sure that in

3:14

this episode, it's pointing us into

3:16

the darker realms. And

3:20

now, the train is ready

3:22

to depart. Your

3:24

journey into the darkness begins

3:27

now. In

3:34

our first tale, we meet two

3:36

women who are having a lively debate. It's

3:39

a topic much discussed in this day and age.

3:42

Is it moral for humans to eat

3:44

other animals? Well, in

3:46

this tale, shared with us by author

3:49

Carol Wood, we learn that the women

3:51

are preparing for an assignment which I

3:53

dare say could also stir

3:55

up some other type of lively debate.

3:59

Performing this tale... are Nicole

4:01

Goodnight and Jessica McAvoy. So

4:04

you can either have firm convictions or

4:06

you can make them up as you

4:08

go, like on a wing and a

4:11

prayer. You

4:25

say you like animals, but then you go and eat chicken. Soak

4:28

or nut in an animal. It's

4:31

a bird. Chicken is a bird.

4:34

It's not a dog, though. Yeah,

4:37

Gina. Cause it's a bird? I

4:40

squirmed around, trying in vain to get comfortable on the

4:42

hard plastic seat of the cheapo diner we were eating

4:44

at. Selma's truck-stop cucker. Probably

4:47

made with fat truck rasses in

4:49

mine. Birds

4:51

are stupid. They don't feel in

4:53

the same way as dogs do. What

4:56

are you talking about? Are you

4:58

saying some animals have feelings and others don't based on

5:00

whether they're pets or not? The

5:03

incredulousness of my tone caused her to drop the

5:05

chicken wing she'd been gnawing on for the past

5:07

five minutes. You're eating

5:09

an actual wing belonging to an animal, for

5:11

fuck's sake. She shugs.

5:15

It tastes good. You're

5:17

sick, you know that? Six

5:19

one to no one, Cass. At

5:22

least I'm not a hypocrite. Are

5:24

you gonna eat that? She pointed to

5:26

my grilled cheese. I'd gotten through half

5:28

of the sorry excuse for a sandwich and given up.

5:31

Looking at Gina chewing on animal parts

5:33

hadn't helped. Ugh,

5:35

be my guest. I

5:38

pushed the plate towards her. You

5:41

eat dairy. Her tone

5:43

was split, not exactly accusing. I

5:46

sighed because I knew she was right and I didn't have a good

5:48

enough excuse for it. But I gave

5:50

it a go anyway. Tried one on for size. They

5:53

don't murder animals for milk? Yeah,

5:57

but it's still in slavery. I

6:00

think you mean slavery? Gena-phone.

6:05

Whatever. It's not like they have a

6:07

choice, right? God

6:09

damn it, she's good, I thought.

6:12

Technically? No. Then

6:16

it's almost as bad as eating

6:18

meat. She

6:21

took a bite of the sandwich and chewed it noisily. It's

6:24

not great. I can feed it. If

6:27

I didn't love cheese so much, I'd be vegan. If

6:30

I didn't love meat so much, I'd

6:33

be vegetarian. I

6:38

took a sip of my coffee and picked up the cuticle on

6:40

my left thumb now. Truthfully,

6:42

the dairy issue had haunted me since I stopped

6:44

eating meat. But there was literally

6:46

no vegan food available in our shitty culinary

6:48

wasteland of a town. And I

6:50

do love cheese. Gena

6:53

swiped at her mouth with a paper napkin and flung it

6:55

onto the crumb-ridden plate. No

6:58

judgment here. But it's a two-way

7:00

street, Cass. I

7:03

see your point. It just makes me unbelievably sad thinking

7:05

of all those animals dying for nothing. Humans don't even

7:08

need meat to survive. And

7:10

don't get me started on Thanksgiving and

7:12

Christmas and fucking Easter. It's sick. So

7:14

much gets thrown in the trash.

7:18

As if lambs aren't babies' mothers or turkeys

7:21

don't have emotions. Pretend

7:23

none of that exists just so you can gobble

7:26

down that overcooked flesh and then complain about being

7:28

too full afterwards? Oh, but

7:30

when someone hurts a dog, it's like Jesus has

7:32

just been crucified all over again. I

7:35

paused in the middle of my trade, just to

7:37

get air, and I noticed Gena's eyes had gone

7:39

wide. You are

7:42

one angry bastard, Cass. Someone

7:45

has to be. I

7:47

mean, respect. But... did

7:50

it work? Huh? Your

7:53

whole spiel. Ask me if I'm converted.

7:57

I played along, but I didn't like where this was going.

8:00

Do you know how to have it verbally corralling me when

8:02

I least expected it? Well,

8:04

are you converted? No,

8:07

and I'll tell you why. People like

8:10

me don't care. We

8:12

don't want to know, because we'd rather just go

8:14

on with our lives, doing whatever we feel

8:16

like, eating whatever we want, and

8:18

not think about the consequences. Or

8:21

the process, for that matter. This

8:24

is the world we live in, Cass. At

8:26

least I can admit that. My

8:29

eyes narrowed. So you're

8:31

saying you'll never stop eating animals because you don't care?

8:35

She clicked her fingers and pointed at me in

8:37

a rapid two-step motion. Exactly.

8:41

Jesus! I

8:43

finished my coffee and touched ten dollars under the salt

8:45

shaker. Looks

8:47

like I need to reconsider my whole approach

8:49

to vegetarianism. Gina

8:52

threw down a ten-two, but hers landed in the spot

8:54

of hot food. She left

8:56

it there. Also. Well,

8:59

if what you're saying is true and most people are like you, then

9:01

there's no point in going around trying to make people stop

9:04

eating meat. That way lies

9:06

madness, right? Undoubtedly. So

9:09

I'll just do my thing and maybe some people will get

9:11

enlightened. Be the change you want to see in

9:13

the world and all that. I

9:16

can't make others care. I

9:18

flicked my napkin at her. Not

9:21

if they're all as heartless as you. She

9:25

both laughed a little too loudly and the waitress

9:27

swam for a while then went back to pouring

9:29

coffee. When

9:32

we emerged into the drizzly late afternoon glow,

9:34

I was still thinking about our conversation. And

9:37

apparently so is Gina. I

9:39

just don't get you sometimes. It's

9:42

not like you know these animals personally. And

9:45

considering your stance on some other

9:48

things I could mention, I

9:50

don't need to know an animal personally to have respect

9:52

and compassion for them. I

9:55

repeat, I just don't

9:57

get you sometimes. She

10:00

was grinning. Hold

10:02

up. What? Asked,

10:05

waiting for the punchline? Are

10:07

you saying you feel that way about people,

10:09

too? Some more than

10:12

others. Ah. She

10:15

nodded. Now I get

10:18

it. I'm not bothered

10:20

about animals being used to meat. Because

10:23

I'd probably eat humans, too, if they

10:25

were on the menu. You're

10:28

joking. I'm

10:30

really not, Cass. What's

10:32

the difference? It's all murder. We

10:36

reached Gina's car, a hulking old Ford that

10:38

was once shiny black. I

10:40

wouldn't look twice at it now, which was nice. We

10:43

clambered and sang. I

10:46

was thinking, and what I was thinking is

10:48

probably not a popular opinion among polite society.

10:51

But polite society was about a thousand miles away

10:53

from where Gina and I operated. Apart

10:56

from the yuck factor, there

10:58

is none. It's all meat. It's

11:01

all murder. Morrissey had it

11:03

right. See?

11:06

Now we're on the same page. The

11:08

same book, maybe, but our pages are

11:10

way different. Fine.

11:13

Let's agree to disagree. She

11:17

popped out of vintage to Pashmode CD and

11:19

slipped in some experimental jazz. She

11:22

refused to upgrade to Bluetooth. I

11:25

groaned because jazz made my head spin. Only

11:28

insane people could enjoy this music, Gina.

11:33

Maybe you could learn something. You

11:36

know, be the flow-er. Maybe.

11:40

I pulled up the hood of my black raincoat in an attempt

11:42

to deaden some of the noise. I had

11:45

to shout to be heard. Maybe

11:47

I'm too sensitive. Or maybe

11:50

you're too indifferent. Gina

11:52

grinned like a loon. Or

11:55

maybe it's all just chicken wings. When

12:04

we arrived at the location, it was dusk and

12:07

the drizzle had intensified to a downpour. Gina

12:09

pulled up to the curb on the street just around the

12:11

corner. I

12:13

was thinking, rain is good.

12:17

What are you wondering? I

12:20

went, not realizing I'd spoken aloud.

12:23

Sorry, that was my inside voice. You're

12:26

a real weirdo, Cass. You know that?

12:29

It might have been mentioned, yeah, but at least I'm not

12:31

a cannibal. She ignored

12:34

my job. Rain

12:38

might pose a problem. Wait,

12:40

what? Footprint.

12:44

She looked at me strangely. Kate,

12:47

are you sure you're up for this? You

12:50

seem a little... I don't

12:52

know. Spacey. I

12:55

hadn't even thought of footprints. I'm

12:58

fine, Gina. I was just thinking the noise would be

13:00

good. Yeah.

13:04

Upsides and downsides to everything, right?

13:07

There was a wistfulness to her tone I didn't hear too

13:09

often. It made me nervous. How

13:13

long did we wait? She checked

13:15

the time on the dash. It'll

13:17

be dark in half an hour. Cars

13:20

trickled by for a while and then the street

13:22

was quiet, making the rain hitting the roof sound

13:24

loud by comparison. The dusk gave

13:26

way to night, illuminated in patches by the

13:28

streetlight. Pools

13:30

of water winked and rippled their yellow

13:33

reflections, except for the streetlight above us. That

13:36

one was out. Ready?

13:40

Gina pulled up the hood of her raincoat, which was identical to mine, except

13:42

for it was moving. I followed suit.

13:45

Yes. We exited

13:47

the car quietly and in tandem. The

13:50

house was around the corner, the last

13:52

duplex and the small cul-de-sac, meaning there

13:54

were neighbors on only one sign. That

13:57

was also there. The road

13:59

was half up its height. The bargain months seem

14:01

like an intensity. The

14:03

curtains and lines were drawn and six of

14:06

eight houses in the cold isn't included. Number:

14:08

Far higher destinations soon and I'd have to

14:10

the shadows as much as possible. Limited number

14:12

for I made for not a cop on

14:14

the graph. Her doesn't follow the puck on

14:16

the bulk. Of the have. A

14:19

different story of how. Will

14:21

I phone in the dining room of

14:24

other night? A big little fan contraption,

14:26

Other: the cable that revolves way blade but

14:28

emitted a bright yellow glared. At

14:35

a bar on top and put on. I'll

14:37

go with it is market. In the pocket of

14:39

a raincoat and such. Work on the deceptively

14:41

simple third, Indoor. I

14:43

kept an eye out for any unit players the

14:45

same. Period

14:49

he she. Was in. A

14:52

journalist for the door. open a crack to protect the

14:54

no problem. A

14:56

burst of canned laughter spoke to the gap possible

14:58

for the Tv in the front room. No

15:01

one came to the door back far enough. In

15:07

their own side. I pulled it close and made a beeline

15:09

for the light switch where the cats indoors. As.

15:12

I could often turn to Gina, who was

15:14

illuminated only by didn't go filtering through the

15:16

glass panels of the kitchen door. Droplets

15:19

of water from a raincoat made a soft

15:21

pattern found as a trip to the pile

15:24

for. Sooner handed me a

15:26

towel from a half by the same can I

15:28

methodically but swiftly dried the souls of my seekers

15:30

She did the same and and place at how

15:32

by the french doors to grab on the way

15:34

out. Sneaking

15:36

wasn't possible and wet. Satan?

15:39

And or the prince to consider. Still

15:42

no one inside the house. New. At

15:45

at my Glock from the shoulder holster conceal beneath my

15:48

coat. Is just a suppressor. And

15:50

I know some by the click of metal on

15:52

metal. To this

15:54

day cleaning and oil in my weapons as a

15:56

form of meditation for me and also point of

15:59

pride. I take care of my

16:01

things. Gina followed

16:03

suit, but she used a SIGSIR

16:05

P-320. She said

16:07

the trigger was crisper than on the clock 19, but

16:10

I didn't see the difference. When

16:13

we were ready, Gina opened the kitchen door. It

16:16

emitted a rather loud mouse-like squeak,

16:18

and we froze simultaneously. From

16:23

the front room came a chuckle, confiding with

16:25

more canned laughter from what I was now

16:27

positive was a television. I

16:29

could see the light flickering through the perfectly open door. No

16:33

one came. We advanced

16:35

down the hallways, Gina and the lead.

16:38

My gun was just for backup in case something went

16:40

wrong. I never had, but I

16:42

always say preparation is the key to success. When

16:46

we reached the living room door, Gina raised

16:48

her left hand and extended her index finger. I

16:51

can't, ready for anything. My

16:53

heart rating increased by approximately 40 beats per

16:56

minute. The extra BPM was

16:58

good. It managed out of adrenaline,

17:00

good for alertness. But not so

17:02

much my hands would shake. Gina's

17:04

middle finger popped up next to the first, and

17:07

on three she kicked open the door. I

17:11

went in first, gun raised, and spoke to one scene.

17:14

A man in a worn brown recliner sat facing

17:16

the television. The recliner

17:18

was the type that swiveled, and when

17:20

he heard the intrusion he spun around so fast he almost went

17:22

360. He

17:25

was about 45, dark hair with some

17:27

silver strands poking through, and a day or

17:29

two's worth of stubble on his jowls. This

17:32

was the face the little girl saw as he hovered

17:34

over her, doing things she'd never get

17:36

over even with 20 years of therapy. Dirty

17:39

blue eyes, partly sunken, widened as they took

17:41

in me and Gina, who

17:43

had stepped into the room after me. She

17:46

didn't even let him get out of whimper before she shot him

17:48

three times. The

17:51

first two in the chest, and the third right between the eyes.

17:55

The sick emitted a muffled, fie-fie-fie sound. The

17:58

excessive gases of the gunshots tamed for the eye. by

18:00

the suppressor, but not completely extinguished.

18:03

Joseph Garrett slammed into the backrest of the

18:05

recliner, which sent it spinning. Blood

18:08

immediately began to flow from the gunshot wounds.

18:11

On each rotation, it made a sound like raindrops hitting

18:13

the wooden floor. A

18:17

thump came from above our head. I

18:20

glared at Gina, talking to her with my eyes. There

18:23

wasn't supposed to be anyone else here. Tell

18:26

me about it, she mouthed back. She

18:29

held a finger to her lips in motion for me to stay

18:31

put. Then disappeared through the door, we

18:33

just came through. I

18:35

listened for almost imperceptible steps as she climbed

18:38

the stairs. They

18:40

weren't supposed to happen. Surprises.

18:44

I hated when plants had hitches. That's

18:47

why the saying is, it went off without a hitch. Garrett

18:50

had stopped his revolutions and was slumped in

18:53

the recliner, eyes half open. There

18:55

was nothing at all of note in them now, and I

18:57

felt nothing. No. I

19:01

turned back through the door into the hall and chanced to peek

19:03

up the darkened stairway. Gina

19:06

had reached the top of the stairs and was preparing

19:08

to enter the room where the thump originated. I

19:11

held my breath, hoping there wasn't a child or an old

19:13

lady up there. That would be

19:15

bad. Suddenly Gina

19:17

let out a laugh. Ha

19:20

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I

19:22

placed my foot on the first step about to go up

19:24

and see what was so amusing at a time like this

19:27

when a dark shape rushed down the unlit stairs, coming

19:29

straight for me. I

19:32

stepped aside and it went streaking down the hall and into

19:34

the kitchen. I almost screamed but

19:36

recovered myself in time. It

19:39

was a cat, a very large

19:41

long-haired cat. Ha ha

19:43

ha ha ha! Gina

19:45

cackled again from the top of the stairs. You

19:49

should see your face. I

19:51

thought we were screwed. Don't

19:54

be ridiculous. I had discovered.

19:57

Yeah, but covered for what? I

19:59

was convinced he had... his mother or something up there. Hey

20:02

kid. Yeah, or

20:04

that. My heart was

20:06

pounding. Let's put the fuck

20:09

out of here, Gina. Great you

20:11

are. A

20:13

glancetack at Garrett. Still dead. What

20:16

about the cat? What

20:18

about it? Can't leave

20:20

her here. Why

20:22

not? Put down some food. Dude

20:25

will be found in two, three days tops. I

20:28

had enough for her to have to live with that scumbag.

20:31

Never mind being imprisoned with his decaying body.

20:34

Gina grinned wickedly. At

20:37

least it'll have something to eat. Gross.

20:41

I'm bringing her with us, if I can catch her, that is. You

20:44

are not. I

20:46

forbid it. You forbid it?

20:49

What are you, my mother? What

20:51

if it starts yowling on the way out? She

20:54

won't. Cats like me. Fine.

20:58

But if it starts making noise, you're

21:00

the one who has to kill it. She

21:03

won't. Gina shrugs.

21:07

In the kitchen, I slipped on the light switch long enough

21:09

to locate the carrot huddled under the dining room table. Huge

21:12

green eyes pinned on me like lasers. She

21:15

was a tabby of some sort. Beautiful.

21:19

I called softly to her and made myself small and

21:21

unthreatening as I approached. Tell

21:23

me the tell, Gina. She flung

21:25

the damn towel at me. And in one

21:27

fluid motion, I dropped my haunches and threw it over

21:29

the bewildered cat. Then I pinned a towel

21:32

with my knees on either side and rolled her up like a burrito.

21:35

She didn't make a phone. See?

21:37

Nothing to it. She

21:39

muttered something I couldn't hear and slid open the door

21:41

for me to go through and followed

21:43

and shut it behind her. Conveniently

21:47

brass, it was still raining. So

21:50

we pulled up our hoods and made our way around the path to the

21:52

front of the house, avoiding the muddy grass

21:54

at all costs. The

21:56

street was as tired as when we belonged. The

22:00

cat needled on the awning sound in her chest, but

22:02

she didn't try to escape. I

22:04

hurried my pace and we reached the car without incident.

22:10

Boston pisses in my car. You're

22:12

going to be sorry. Yeah, yeah,

22:14

yeah, just go. The job's not

22:16

over till we get home and I've had enough surprises

22:18

for one night. I

22:21

opened the towel and the cat just sat there in my

22:23

lap, peering up at me with terrified eyes. It's

22:26

okay, buddy. I'll take care of you. She

22:29

didn't seem inclined to believe me, but didn't try

22:31

to scratch my face off either. Gina

22:38

drove 10 miles under the speed limit the whole way

22:40

back. She dropped me and

22:42

the cat, who I'd decided to call Lucky,

22:44

outside my apartment. Dawn was approaching.

22:47

The rain was finally starting to clear and there was

22:49

one less scumbag in the world. For

22:51

that, I was thankful. I

22:54

put down a cardboard box with a blanket inside it,

22:56

and Lucky hid there for most of the day. Later,

22:59

I checked my Bitcoin wallet for the second half of

23:01

my payment. After a

23:04

couple more jobs, I would have enough money to buy my

23:06

own place. Maybe get a

23:08

second cat. Lucky

23:10

watched me settle into the couch and cautiously

23:12

exited the box. After

23:14

some gentle encouragement, she crawled into my lap.

23:18

I looked into her big green eyes and realized I

23:20

would have to buy some cat food. Meat,

23:22

in other words. Gina

23:25

would have a field day with that, especially

23:27

after all my pontificating. But

23:30

life is funny that way. Makes

23:33

hypocrites of us all. Imagine

24:07

being so wealthy that you can

24:09

attend an event where you get

24:11

to view elegant gowns displayed on

24:13

opulent mannequins. This ain't

24:16

no shopping trip to TJ Maxx. This

24:18

is only for the rich and elite and

24:21

those who don't care about things like

24:23

conspicuous wealth. But in

24:25

this tale, shared with us by

24:27

author Hailey Alt, we meet a

24:29

couple of people who are enraptured

24:32

not only by the dresses, but

24:34

also by those stunning mannequins. Performing

24:38

this tale are Atticus

24:40

Jackson, Danielle McRae, Jesse

24:43

Cornett, Kyle Akers, Mike

24:45

DelGaudio, Catabell Ansari, and

24:47

Mary Murphy. And

24:50

so maybe it's true what they say. If

24:52

you have the money, anything is

24:55

for sale. Mmm,

25:10

exquisite. The

25:13

woman reached a hand, unsteady

25:15

with age, to touch

25:17

the pearls draped around the mannequin's neck.

25:20

I remember when I was as young

25:23

and beautiful as you. Her

25:25

gaze danced in shadow and memory

25:27

as she analyzed the figure of the

25:30

model, her cheekbones, the

25:33

jewels dripping from her earlobes. The

25:37

mannequins said nothing. It

25:39

continued to stand perfectly still, glassy

25:43

blue eyes fixed elsewhere.

25:46

Come now, my dear. The

25:49

elderly gentleman at her side touched

25:51

her elbow familiarly. She

25:54

was as beautiful as ever. Not

25:57

as beautiful as it. Lorraine

26:01

sighed. Look

26:04

at that complexion. I

26:07

could stare at it all day. It's

26:10

a mannequin, dear. Its

26:12

job is to be pretty. Eddie

26:16

turned to address the model cloaked in

26:18

folds of silks. How

26:21

old are you? The

26:23

mannequin didn't answer. Its

26:26

tongue had already been cut out. Lorraine

26:29

glanced down at the platform atop where

26:31

it stood. Mannequin

26:34

number 23, age 17, imported 12-03-2145. Russian

26:44

origin. Lorraine relayed

26:47

what she read to her husband. Well,

26:53

it's hardly fair to compare to a model

26:56

four times younger than you. Is

26:58

it not, Lorraine? Lorraine

27:01

sighed, now admiring

27:03

its studded bracelet with wrinkled

27:05

fingertips. How

27:07

can it feel so long ago and

27:10

right behind me at once? Behind

27:13

Lorraine and her husband, the Grand Hall

27:15

milled with the activity of other bidders.

27:19

A decorative rug ran down the

27:21

center of the room between elegantly

27:23

carved pillars, and waiting

27:25

staff attentively passed champagne and

27:27

hors d'oeuvres throughout the crowd.

27:31

The room was a buzz. Everyone

27:34

dressed in their finest fabrics, jewelry

27:37

and cufflinks flashing like

27:39

pale fireworks under chandeliers.

27:42

Most of the bidders were near Lorraine and

27:45

Eddie in age, though she

27:47

noticed some buyers there were too

27:49

young to even run for president.

27:52

The mannequins were raised on circular

27:55

platforms dappled throughout the hall, two

27:58

dozen in all. Couture

28:00

gowns slung from their

28:02

shoulders in dazzling exclusivity,

28:05

their delicate necks and wrists

28:08

raining rare jewels and gems.

28:11

Each of the twenty-four mannequin

28:13

girls stood perfectly still, not

28:16

even blinking when it could be helped. Only

28:19

at the urging of the clients did they

28:22

move, turning to

28:24

show intricate designs over

28:26

bare backs. The

28:28

crowd cooed over them, delighted.

28:33

I wonder if we'll really get

28:35

our first pick. Lorraine

28:37

examined the dress of the mannequin

28:39

they stood before. It

28:42

glittered and shone under a hundred

28:44

lights. We better

28:46

for how much we paid to be

28:49

here. Lorraine elbowed

28:51

him in the stomach over

28:53

the violet ties she had gotten him for his

28:55

birthday. The Coram,

28:58

Eddie. Yes,

29:01

Lorraine. A

29:04

suited event worker approached them then, clipboard

29:07

in hand. Good evening,

29:09

Mr. and Mrs. Everett. The

29:12

man wore a bronze name tag that read

29:15

Tad. How are you enjoying

29:17

yourselves? With some champagne,

29:19

as I always do. Lorraine

29:22

laughed, and the staff

29:24

member joined in politely. Eddie

29:27

stared at mannequin number twenty-three, which

29:29

did not even crack a smile.

29:32

What do you think of our selection this year, Mrs. Everett?

29:35

Even better than the previous

29:38

years. You have an excellent

29:41

selection. Oh, look

29:43

at those patterns. How

29:45

the craftsmanship on these fine

29:47

dresses continue to go above

29:49

and beyond what we've seen

29:51

before. I don't know how

29:53

your designers ever get any

29:55

rest. I'm very pleased

29:58

to hear that. glance

30:00

to mannequin number twenty-three and its

30:02

gown. I'll take a note that

30:04

you have your eye on this one then. Lovely.

30:07

We'll do another walk around to be

30:09

safe, but... Lorraine

30:12

looked longingly again at the

30:14

finely dressed human mannequin in

30:16

its extravagant, intricately embroidered

30:18

dress. Suddenly,

30:21

we want our name in

30:23

for this one, don't we, Eddie? Whatever

30:26

you say, dear. Eddie's

30:29

eyes scanned the room for a

30:31

particular appetizer he had seen floating

30:33

past earlier. And what

30:35

are we willing to pledge today? We'll start

30:38

at three hundred thousand. Eddie

30:41

waved a waiter over, who carried

30:43

mushroom crostini on his silver platter.

30:46

Don't you think so, Eddie? Indeed.

30:50

He reached for the appetizer as Tad

30:52

took note of the Everett's bid. One

30:56

gave another long look at mannequin

30:58

number twenty-three and its

31:00

ornate piece. Then,

31:03

reluctantly, she took

31:05

her husband's arm to walk once more around

31:07

the room, appreciating the

31:09

mannequins and the exclusive fashions

31:11

they wore. After

31:14

the crowd had been appropriately wined, the

31:17

female mannequins, with all the grace

31:19

of long limbs and high heels,

31:22

stepped off their platforms and marched to

31:24

the front of the hall. They

31:27

lined up before the buyers beneath a

31:29

hand-painted portrait of an eagle and flag

31:32

that took up most of the width

31:34

of the room. The

31:36

banner from the eagle's mouth proudly

31:38

declared, Liberty for

31:40

All. The

31:42

mannequins resumed their frozen positions

31:45

there, and the clients

31:47

gave a collective sigh at the

31:49

mere sight of their elegance and

31:51

refinement. The event

31:53

coordinator walked to center stage, decorative

31:56

gown trailing behind him, his

31:59

piercing The blue eyes lifted to the

32:01

crowd and he gave them a dazzling

32:04

white smile. He

32:06

neared the age of fifty, but

32:08

his tan and form allowed him to

32:10

pass for forty. It

32:12

has been an absolute delight to have you

32:14

all here this year at our thirty-fifth annual

32:16

auction. His voice

32:18

echoed off the grand walls and high

32:21

ceiling. The group

32:23

applauded politely except for

32:25

the mannequins who did not

32:27

move an inch. We

32:30

have taken all of your pledges into account

32:32

and are pleased to announce that every single

32:34

product today will be going home with its

32:36

rightful owner. Delighted gasps

32:38

and more applause. The

32:41

mannequins stared across the room with

32:44

empty eyes. Without

32:46

further ado, let's review the

32:48

results. Mannequin number

32:50

one, please step forward. A

32:53

girl no older than sixteen

32:56

stepped from the front line with

32:58

mechanical poise, eyes

33:00

big and brown. The

33:03

dress she wore was fitted perfectly to

33:05

her waist and hips, but

33:08

Lorraine couldn't help but feel that she was

33:10

looking at a child rather than a mannequin.

33:13

Eddie intuited her thoughts. Hmm,

33:17

some like them younger. Congratulations

33:21

to Mr. and

33:23

Mrs. Tracy, who will be bringing mannequin number

33:25

one home with them this evening. Polite

33:28

applause followed the tracies to the front of

33:30

the hall where an older woman with purple

33:32

hair let out a small cheer. Her

33:35

husband next to her looked delighted. The

33:39

mannequin was promptly whisked away by staff

33:41

across to a side door. Lorraine

33:44

knew what would happen next. The

33:47

mannequin would be bathed and re-robed,

33:50

given last minute training on how to

33:52

behave in a household. Lorraine

33:55

wondered if the girl was properly

33:57

thrilled. Her service

33:59

would provide She tried her family with small

34:01

funds to keep them going as long

34:03

as she stood still as furniture in

34:06

the Tracey's living room. Their

34:09

guests would come over to visit, admire

34:11

her there near the lounger or

34:14

perhaps in the center of the foyer.

34:17

They're all just so still.

34:21

The nearby woman's friend tickled.

34:24

I forgot to feed our last one. That's

34:26

why we're back again this year. We're

34:29

terrible. But then

34:31

if I didn't have our housekeeper watering our

34:33

plants and mannequins, I'd be sure

34:35

to forget myself. Lorraine

34:38

refrained from shushing them as the

34:40

auction went on. Mannequin

34:43

number two, please step forward.

34:47

And so it continued. Each

34:50

mannequin stepped before the crowd of

34:52

bidders and were briskly auctioned away

34:54

one at a time to squeals

34:57

of delight and exchanges

35:00

of checks and cash. Mr.

35:03

Yamara gave mannequin number 14s rear

35:05

end to squeeze before it walked

35:07

out and the rain rolled

35:10

her eyes. Oh,

35:12

how lewd. Can't he

35:14

wait until he's home? Gentlemen

35:17

who cannot help themselves are

35:20

not gentlemen. He

35:23

popped another mushroom crostini into his

35:25

mouth with greasy fingers. Finally,

35:28

it was Lorraine and Eddie's

35:30

turn. The crowd

35:32

had thinned, everyone eager

35:34

to return home with their new

35:36

status symbols. Lorraine

35:38

cried out against her will when the

35:41

auctioneer called their names for mannequin number

35:43

23. They

35:45

were led from the grand ballroom

35:47

and into an appropriately exquisite lobby.

35:51

Should we have the grandkids name it? Other

35:54

winning bidders were examining their mannequins

35:56

one last time before departing with

35:58

them. one

36:00

teeming with excitement. Except

36:03

for the mannequins, who

36:06

stood precisely, eyes

36:09

carefully cast downwards, forced

36:11

smiles fixed to their lips.

36:15

Oh, they'd probably like

36:17

that. And you better like

36:20

this one longer than the last

36:22

one. It better last

36:24

three years or more, you

36:26

understand? You were too rough

36:29

on the last one. You

36:31

don't get to touch this one, even

36:33

when you're upset. If

36:35

we don't want it damaged, we

36:37

should ask one of those bellhop boys to

36:40

roll it out. Nettie

36:42

flagged one down as he spoke. A

36:45

few minutes later, mannequin number 23 appeared

36:48

in the lobby wearing a simpler dress,

36:50

rolled in on a dolly with the

36:53

couture gown draped across its stiff arms.

36:56

Lorraine beamed. It's

37:00

here. Eddie, go

37:02

pull the car around. Eddie

37:05

left and the bellhop rushed off to

37:07

help another client. The

37:10

mannequin and Lorraine were left alone.

37:13

Oh, I think you're very much like

37:15

our home. Lorraine reached

37:17

out to rub the young girl's

37:19

arm reassuringly. There

37:21

are lots of rooms, very

37:24

elegant. We had this

37:26

wonderful interior designer. Her

37:29

name is Annie Gustavo.

37:31

Maybe you've heard of her. She was

37:34

featured in a lot of magazines.

37:37

The mannequin had never been taught

37:39

to read. She

37:41

made the place up real nice.

37:44

Your room will be our family

37:46

room, where we relax at night.

37:49

The maid will say to your niece. The

37:53

mannequins blue eyes stared blankly as

37:56

Lorraine prattled on, but

37:58

she could have sworn she saw odd lips

38:01

for a moment, twitch into

38:03

a frown. She

38:05

pressed on, more

38:07

to herself than to her expensive piece

38:10

of new furniture. Oh,

38:12

you'll love it. The

38:14

kids will adore you and

38:16

wait till the girls see

38:18

you. They'll positively

38:20

flip at the sight of

38:22

you and that perfect

38:25

skin of yours. The

38:28

mannequin stared. Eddie

38:30

returned then, keys in hand.

38:34

Ready, Lorraine? He

38:36

grabbed the trolley and pulled it

38:39

roughly. Skin number

38:41

23 went with it. One

39:14

of the tricks of morality is when

39:16

you convince yourself that it's okay to

39:18

do something bad because, well,

39:21

it would probably happen anyway. Say,

39:23

if the store is going to throw out that loaf

39:25

of bread at the end of the night, does it

39:27

really matter if you steal it?

39:31

Consider that as we hear this

39:33

tale, shared with us by author

39:35

Jesse Rosenbaum. In it,

39:37

we meet a woman who likes to engage

39:39

in very bad behavior, but perhaps

39:42

she's only doing what would happen naturally

39:44

after all. I

39:47

join Lindsay Russo, Erica

39:49

Sanderson, Mike Delgaudio, Danielle

39:51

McCray, Kristen DiMecurio, Waffia

39:54

White, and Jesse Cornett in

39:56

performing this tale. Working

40:00

with your own secret blend of

40:02

herbs and spices, make sure you

40:04

avoid using Wolf's Bane. It

40:20

was a full schedule that day with

40:22

some old favorites, Mr. Edmondson, Ms. Clark. I

40:24

saw that Tommy was still on the list. Mrs.

40:27

Polzlowski, Mr. Greenway, Judy Vaughn, who

40:29

was new, Frederick Tussaud. Mr.

40:33

Gonzalez, who always chewed my ear off.

40:35

Well, not after today's meal delivery. And

40:38

last, Katherine Gower.

40:41

Now there was a woman with potential. Her

40:45

stop, Mr. Edmondson. Dementia. Typically

40:48

a quick stop. His wife takes

40:50

the food with minimal interaction, which was fine with

40:52

me, especially since people like Mr.

40:54

Gonzalez like to talk. So having

40:56

quick stops like that helped balance out the day. I

40:59

make a good driver for this service because people's

41:01

illnesses don't bother me. Their

41:03

stories didn't tug at my heartstrings, even

41:06

with all the sadness and impending death around

41:08

most of the customers I meet. The

41:10

only real reason that I entertained people talking

41:13

like Mr. Gonzalez was so I could figure out which

41:15

of them to kill next. Edmondson,

41:22

did you get the roast pork or baked

41:24

salmon today? There you are.

41:26

And you got salmon with

41:28

buttered noodles, vegetables, which seem to

41:30

be green beans today, and a

41:32

salad. All righty. Oh, hello,

41:35

Jocelyn. Nice

41:39

to see you. She

41:44

always got my name wrong and she never looked at

41:46

the menu. What did

41:48

my husband pick today? Hi,

41:50

Mrs. Edmondson. It's baked salmon today with

41:52

noodles, green beans, and a salad. Did

41:55

they remember to take the tomatoes off

41:57

this time? You know they give

41:59

Martin heartburn. I can't say

42:01

for sure. The containers are sealed, so I can't check.

42:04

But if they did, just call the office and remind them. I

42:06

don't really have control over that sort of thing.

42:09

Sorry. I'll do that. I appreciate

42:12

the program that Angel's Kitchen

42:14

provides, but the order should

42:17

be right. Thank you anyway,

42:19

Jocelyn. I'll see you tomorrow. You're

42:22

welcome. Continue

42:28

straight for five miles. I

42:31

was ahead of schedule, which was good

42:33

because Mr. Gonzalez was next. Like I

42:35

mentioned before, he likes to talk a

42:37

lot. Which is a good thing because

42:39

people like him have a need to connect with other

42:41

people and are very open. Thanks

42:44

to that, I can learn what illnesses they

42:46

have and, more importantly, what physical ailments they

42:48

have because of their illness. This

42:51

is especially helpful in figuring out if I'm going

42:53

to poison them or not. In

42:55

one mile, turn left on Bailey

42:58

Court. Mr.

43:00

Gonzalez suffered from HCM,

43:02

or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Yeah,

43:04

I didn't know what it was either until I looked it up.

43:07

Well, it's a heart disease that can

43:09

lead to shortness of breath, fainting, chest

43:12

pain, and most importantly, heart palpitations. Symptoms

43:15

like those are perfect because my poison

43:17

of choice has similar symptoms. One

43:19

of which is a change in heartbeat, which can be

43:21

fatal to people with heart problems. I

43:24

find it amazing how some plants can be

43:26

so deadly. And monk food,

43:28

or as it's more famously known,

43:30

wolf's vein is extremely poisonous. Turn

43:34

left on Bailey Court. You

43:37

have arrived at your destination, 742 Bailey

43:39

Court. That

43:42

part I said earlier about food being sealed is

43:44

true. But what is also true is

43:46

that sometimes the containers get jostled open.

43:48

So we have extra seals in containers

43:50

just in case something happens. Now,

43:54

wolf's vein contains a poison called

43:56

aconitum, which some people use to treat

43:58

muscle inflammation. need to boil

44:00

down the root to reduce its poison

44:02

potency. If you were to ingest

44:04

the roots in raw form, well, let's

44:06

just say with the amount of chopped root that

44:09

I had sprinkled on Mr. Gonzalez's mushroom risotto, he

44:11

would be dead in about 30 minutes after eating it. Wolf

44:15

Spain is dangerous to touch with your bare

44:17

hands, so thank goodness our fans come with

44:19

disposable gloves. The best part

44:21

is that the symptoms won't show for several minutes

44:23

after ingestion. And once the heart rhythm

44:25

changes to such a drastic degree, Mr.

44:27

Gonzalez would go into cardiac arrest. Hi,

44:33

Jacqueline. At least he always got

44:35

my name right. Hey, Mr. Gonzalez,

44:37

how are you feeling today? Oh,

44:40

today is a better sort of day.

44:43

Yesterday, I nearly fainted in

44:45

the shower. Oh,

44:47

that was a scary moment, let me

44:49

tell you. The

44:51

floodgates had opened. He would

44:54

carry this conversation for minutes without a single

44:56

word from me. Thankfully,

44:58

that hasn't happened too much lately.

45:01

My daughter-in-law put this meditation thing on my phone,

45:08

and I'll tell you, it

45:10

took a while for me to figure out how

45:13

to use it, but whenever

45:15

I'm feeling a little off, I

45:19

can open that thing up, sit

45:21

in my chair, and

45:23

then just relax and then

45:25

listen. Sure, it

45:27

doesn't help the fainting so much,

45:29

but all the breathing

45:32

issues and fatigue that I get

45:34

when I'm active seems

45:36

less frequent,

45:39

which is nice. My

45:41

son thinks it's a bunch

45:44

of new age nonsense, but

45:47

I just laugh and

45:49

tell him, son, you

45:52

married her, and honestly,

45:54

she's a saint for

45:57

putting up with you. Ha ha ha.

46:03

Oh no, but seriously, he's

46:06

a good kid, even if

46:08

he doesn't always think things

46:10

through. Listen

46:13

to me going on and on. I

46:15

haven't even asked you how you're doing today.

46:19

You know, sometimes I don't realize

46:21

that I've been talking for as long

46:23

as I have. Oh,

46:27

geez, there I go again. Oh,

46:29

I'm sorry. How are you

46:31

doing today? I'm doing all right,

46:34

thanks. Oh, great. Great.

46:38

It's your favorite today, roast pork with

46:40

mushroom risotto. Oh,

46:42

I saw it on the calendar

46:44

yesterday. Oh, I'll tell

46:46

you, it's great that

46:48

Angel's Kitchen makes quality

46:51

food. The food

46:53

you get in those hospitals is barely

46:55

edible. And my

46:58

older sister Julia over

47:00

in Florida says

47:03

that the food service they have

47:05

isn't great either. I

47:08

told her, I said,

47:10

Julia, you should come visit

47:12

and try out what we get. Oh,

47:15

it'll make you want to move out this

47:17

way. Ah,

47:19

but you know, she doesn't

47:22

like the weather here in the Northwest. Oh,

47:25

then again, who knows if

47:27

we could live with each

47:30

other, let alone near each

47:32

other. Well, we'd probably

47:34

drive each other up a wall. Anyway,

47:42

I better let you go. I'm

47:44

sure you have more stops to make. And

47:47

I, oh, I'm just slowing you down. Thanks

47:50

a lot. And be

47:52

sure to thank everyone back at the kitchen

47:55

for me. I'm

47:57

looking forward to Friday. pot

48:00

roast oh I

48:02

have always been a meat

48:06

and potatoes sort of guy and

48:10

oh there I go again okay

48:12

yeah you get going before I

48:14

make you late and this yummy

48:17

food gets cold thanks

48:20

again dear bye

48:22

bye goodbye mr. Gonzales bon

48:27

appetit by

48:34

now mr. Gonzales would be dead but I wouldn't

48:36

know for sure until the next day last

48:39

on the list was Katherine Gower she'd been

48:41

fairly open with me about her illness well

48:43

at least when her daughter wasn't around if she was

48:46

she just came to get the food and that was

48:48

that I was hoping to learn some more

48:50

today I knew it was cancer and

48:52

she did tell me about how the surgery to

48:54

her nose along with the high doses of radiation

48:57

caused her to get some skin irritation and lose

48:59

her hair she wore a wig

49:01

and she worried that her face made people uncomfortable

49:03

since the doctors had removed part of her nose

49:06

but I still didn't know what her illness did to

49:08

her physically you always

49:12

have to come down so hard on me do you

49:14

think I wanted this to happen to me

49:17

oh spare me the bullshit mom okay you

49:20

think I wanted to leave my condo and my

49:22

career to be here I didn't ask

49:24

you to come here sweetheart no

49:26

you just fucking guilted me into it Mara

49:29

language please don't clutch your pearls at

49:31

me mom you think I haven't heard

49:33

you use the same kind of language the fact is you

49:36

guilted me into this just like you did with

49:38

dad you guilted him into spending time

49:40

with me as a kid when the truth is that

49:42

he cared about that goddamn mill more than he did

49:45

about his own family how

49:47

dare you your

49:49

father worked hard his whole life and sacrificed

49:51

a lot so we can have the life

49:53

that we have I will

49:56

not have you sully his memory

49:59

with your anger Your father

50:01

wasn't perfect. That's true.

50:04

But he loved you and

50:06

this family. Well, he had a shitty

50:08

way of showing it. And you wonder why I wanted

50:11

to get away from here. I

50:13

guess we're both stuck here now. I

50:16

couldn't stay out there all day, so I decided to make

50:18

my presence known. After all, I didn't want

50:20

the food to get cold. That

50:22

has to be my lunch. Can

50:24

we please just stop bickering? Just

50:28

calm down, and we can talk

50:30

about this after lunch. I'll

50:32

make us cappuccinos and we can have some of

50:35

that almond cheesecake that you made me. Yeah.

50:38

Okay, Mom. Hi, Jackie.

50:41

It's nice to see you today. You

50:44

too, Mrs. Gower. How are you feeling? Oh,

50:47

well... Okay, I

50:50

guess. My

50:52

sinus syndrome is acting up more than usual.

50:55

I've been getting the most painful

50:57

headaches this week, which is

50:59

new, but I'm on so much

51:02

medication these days. It's

51:04

probably a side effect from one of those

51:06

pills. I made a

51:09

mental note. Sinus syndrome. It's

51:11

amazing what some people will just volunteer. I'm

51:14

sorry to hear that. Maybe some rust and lots of

51:16

water could help the headaches. Oh,

51:20

dear. I can't be drinking all that water.

51:24

I take it diuretic every other day, and

51:26

drinking too much water has me up and

51:29

down all day, if you

51:31

catch my meaning. I

51:33

understand. If you don't mind me asking,

51:35

you're still cancer-free, right? Your skin cancer,

51:37

was it? Is it still in remission?

51:40

It's not exactly skin cancer,

51:42

dear. It's called

51:45

paranasal sinus cancer. It's

51:47

from breathing all those chemicals, all those years.

51:51

I'm sorry. I must have forgot. That's

51:53

okay, dear. With as many

51:56

people as you see in it, I wouldn't expect

51:58

you to remember. I'm still

52:00

cancer free, knock on wood. But

52:03

you wouldn't think it with all these darn

52:05

issues and side effects. But

52:08

you don't need me going on and on

52:10

like that. I'm

52:12

sure you have more stops to make. Actually,

52:15

you're my last stop for today. Well,

52:17

then you can get home sooner. It's

52:20

roast pork today, right? Yes,

52:22

yes it is. You

52:25

also got the mushroom risotto with green beans

52:27

and an extra dinner roll as requested.

52:30

No dessert again. I've been

52:32

skipping the dessert because my daughter

52:34

has been making my favorite almond

52:36

cheesecake. She

52:38

spoils me. Sounds like it.

52:43

Oh, do you like cheesecake? I'll

52:45

save a slice for you tomorrow. If

52:48

you'd like one, that is. I'd

52:50

like that, Mrs. Gower. Wonderful.

52:53

I'll put a slice aside for you. I'm

52:56

looking forward to that new chopped kale salad

52:58

I saw on the menu. How

53:00

you take care, Jackie. And

53:02

thanks again. You're welcome. See

53:04

you tomorrow. Bye bye, dear. Paranasal

53:08

Sinus Cancer and Sinus Syndrome. I looked

53:10

those up when I got home that

53:12

night and depending on what I found,

53:14

I would be harvesting some flowers. In

53:23

the mornings when I got to work, the first thing I needed

53:25

to do was check in and get the delivery route for the

53:27

day. The way the kitchen's

53:29

program was designed, we got daily updates on

53:31

the status of our patrons from the medical

53:34

insurance companies. By that, I mean

53:36

if one of our patrons happened to die, we

53:38

typically got updated within 24 hours to stop deliveries.

53:41

But it all depended on how long it took for someone to

53:43

find the body. Based on the time

53:45

that I made my delivery yesterday, my

53:47

money was on Mr. Gonzalez not being on my

53:49

sheet for the day. The

53:53

route sheets all get placed in bins labeled by driver. I saw mine waiting

53:55

for me patiently. I could feel the

53:57

anticipation rumbling. rising

54:00

in me the closer I got to it. I

54:02

reached out, grabbed it, and took a breath as I

54:04

turned it over to read it. No,

54:07

Mr. Gonzales. A warmth

54:09

grew in me as I held back a smile. Hey,

54:12

Jackie. So, you know, Mr. Gonzales

54:15

passed away yesterday. Oh,

54:18

really? Oh, yeah,

54:20

you're right. He's not on my sheet today. I'm really

54:23

sorry to hear that. That's the

54:25

hard part of this job. I don't

54:27

know how you all handled this since you have

54:29

to see them face to face so much. Yeah,

54:32

it can be difficult. Well,

54:34

I better get loaded up and head out. I'll see you

54:36

later. See you later. Drive

54:39

safe out there. Thanks. I

54:43

sat for a moment and let the warmth overcome

54:45

me. At last, I let a

54:47

smile cross my face. I loved this

54:49

part of the job, but I had to be careful. I couldn't

54:52

go around doing this all the time, despite how it

54:54

made me feel. Some people

54:56

microdose mushrooms to find enlightenment or make

54:58

life bearable. I just happened

55:00

to microdose murder. One or

55:02

two here and there, but I always spaced them

55:05

out. Overdosing in this case would

55:07

quite literally mean the death of me. Mr.

55:09

Gonzales made six in the 14 months since

55:12

I'd started harvesting wolf spain. I needed

55:16

to get the van over to the loading area for today's

55:18

deliveries and get on the road. I

55:20

didn't want to be late for today's dose. Good

55:24

morning. Let's

55:26

see. You're number

55:28

seven. Give us a couple

55:30

of minutes. Number seven.

55:32

That's fitting since Catherine would be my number

55:35

seven. Last

55:37

night I learned that syndrome Catherine

55:39

mentioned is called Six Sinus Syndrome.

55:42

The name is misleading because it turns out it

55:44

was related to her heart and has some nasty

55:46

symptoms. Shortness of breath, dizziness,

55:48

fatigue, and either a slowing or

55:50

rapid change in the heart's rhythm. Perfect.

55:54

You're all set. Thanks. Thank

55:56

you. There's her

55:59

ticket. Good, she did order the

56:01

spring kale salad. Angel's kitchen does

56:03

love to make their food fancy, and sometimes

56:05

they put edible flowers in the spring and

56:07

summer salads. It looked like Catherine

56:10

wouldn't be getting that lavender with her salad. Come

56:17

on, move it. I

56:19

got food getting cold here. Move it, damn it.

56:23

Finally. I was running

56:25

behind. We're expected to have all meals marked as delivered

56:27

by 1.30 p.m. It was 1.15 p.m.

56:30

and I was still 10 minutes away from Catherine's.

56:33

Not getting back on time after delivering my last

56:35

meal. Well, Catherine's last meal

56:37

was an unnecessary detail that I

56:40

didn't need. In three

56:42

miles, turn right onto Davidson Avenue.

56:46

Turn right onto Davidson Avenue. In

56:50

three quarters of a mile, turn left

56:53

onto Brandywine Rise. In

56:57

500 feet, your destination is on the left.

57:01

You have arrived at your destination. I

57:04

had two minutes to spare. I

57:06

needed to move quickly. I

57:08

needed to be gentle and not damage the flowers.

57:10

I made sure to put them in the same place as the

57:13

lavender I removed. Oh,

57:25

it's you. Who is it,

57:27

sweetie? It's your lunch. Oh,

57:30

okay, one moment. Can I

57:32

have my mom's food or what? Yes, I

57:34

just need to review the ticket with her to make sure

57:36

it's correct. I'm sure it's fine,

57:38

thanks. Did

57:41

she leave? I promised her

57:43

a slice of cheesecake. She had

57:45

more delivery to do, mom. Besides, I

57:47

made that cheesecake for you. I don't want you sharing

57:49

it. Oh, don't be

57:51

silly, sweetie. I'll just

57:53

have to give her one tomorrow. That

57:56

was probably for the best. Bon

57:58

Appetit, Catherine. I

58:06

walked into work that morning bursting with anticipation.

58:09

My stride was faster and wider as I headed in

58:11

toward the office. I felt my

58:13

heart beating faster as I approached the bin. I

58:15

licked my lips and reached out for the day sheet. I

58:18

paused for a moment when I felt the smooth

58:20

texture in my fingertips. I turned it

58:22

over. There

58:25

she was, Katherine Gower. I

58:27

was certain she would have been off the list. Then

58:30

all sorts of scenarios were running through my head. Did

58:32

she not eat the salad? Did she pick around the

58:35

flowers? Did she eat the flowers and get treated at

58:37

the hospital? Would I get there and no one would

58:39

be there? I collected myself and took

58:41

a breath. You okay, Jackie?

58:44

Yeah, I'm fine. Looks like the standard route today.

58:47

It's a good day when I don't have to remove anyone

58:49

from the list. Sure is. I'll see

58:51

you later. Drive safe out there.

58:54

There had to be a reasonable explanation for this.

58:57

Maybe I didn't put enough in. No,

58:59

I was certain I did. The most logical reason

59:02

was she either didn't eat the salad or the

59:04

flowers. Admittedly, I hadn't

59:06

prepared myself for this and letting my mind

59:08

wander wouldn't help anything. The sooner

59:10

the van was loaded, the sooner I would figure out what

59:13

my next step was. After all, I

59:15

had a fire yearning to be started. I

59:18

needed to see the ticket for myself, almost like I

59:20

was trying to pinch myself to wake from a dream.

59:23

There it was. An open-faced turkey sandwich

59:25

with extra mashed potatoes and corn. No

59:28

dessert. I felt despondent. So

59:30

I closed the door and got into the van. I

59:33

would review the menu and plan again. Right

59:35

then, I just needed to know what happened. The

59:41

day went like any other day and I was on my

59:43

way to classrooms. Nervous anticipation rose

59:45

in me and my palms had gotten speedy.

59:48

Despite that feeling, there was the thrill of

59:50

possibly getting caught. I'd imagined

59:52

it was like how a cheating couple feels knowing

59:54

that their whole scheme could tumble down at

59:56

any moment. But the pleasure

59:59

outweighed the risk. I

1:00:01

put the van in park and sat for a moment, replaying

1:00:03

the possible scenarios in my head, then

1:00:05

I stopped myself, took a breath, and

1:00:08

got out. Oh,

1:00:11

it's you again. Damn it,

1:00:13

I knew I forgot to do something. Listen,

1:00:20

I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to

1:00:22

say it. Mom

1:00:24

died yesterday. There was that

1:00:26

warmth. It rose quickly in me and burned

1:00:28

away my doubts. Oh my, I'm

1:00:30

so sorry, no one told us. Yeah,

1:00:33

I guess that's my fault. Mom

1:00:35

left a whole binder of things to do for

1:00:37

when she died, but I've just been, you know,

1:00:40

processing all of this. Of course, don't

1:00:42

worry about it. I'll tell the office for you,

1:00:44

but you'll have to call and inform her insurance

1:00:47

provider and they'll stop the service. Right,

1:00:49

okay, thanks. Listen,

1:00:53

would you, um, would

1:00:55

you mind coming in here for just a few minutes? I

1:00:58

mean, I don't know if you have more stops or

1:01:00

whatever, but I

1:01:02

know this sounds silly, but my

1:01:04

mom put aside a slice of cheesecake for you. She

1:01:07

always had nice things to say about you, and I

1:01:10

know she really wanted you to have it. I

1:01:13

don't know, it's not common for us

1:01:15

to- Please, I

1:01:17

know it would have meant a lot to her. You

1:01:19

know what, sure, this is my last stop. Great,

1:01:23

thank you, really, no, uh, please come in. I

1:01:26

walked in and over to the living room. Please

1:01:29

have a seat, I'll just be a minute. I

1:01:33

really appreciate you coming in. This

1:01:35

all happened so suddenly, and to

1:01:38

be honest, I knew she

1:01:40

was dying, but I didn't expect it to

1:01:42

happen so soon. I

1:01:44

guess I'm in disbelief, you know?

1:01:47

What's that they say? First stage is denial?

1:01:51

Yeah, I believe so. This

1:01:53

invitation was diminishing my moment. I would just take a

1:01:55

couple of big bites and then say that I had

1:01:57

to go. Here you go. I

1:02:00

brought you a glass of water, too. Sorry,

1:02:02

I didn't ask what you wanted to drink. My mind's

1:02:04

a little fucked up right now, so

1:02:07

I hope that's okay. This is fine,

1:02:09

thank you. You know, my

1:02:12

mother loved this cheesecake. Her

1:02:14

mother made it for her, and I found the recipe a

1:02:16

while back. I thought it would be

1:02:18

a nice thing to do. It looks

1:02:20

delicious. The cheesecake was

1:02:22

very creamy, but the almond flavor had this

1:02:24

sort of bitter taste to it, and

1:02:27

I knew Mara saw my face cringe a little because

1:02:29

of it. I have to

1:02:31

admit it, I'm not the best baker. My

1:02:34

mom was kind enough to eat it, but I

1:02:37

think the almonds I used were not as fresh, so

1:02:39

I'm sorry if it's a little bitter. It's

1:02:41

okay, really. It's very creamy and tasty.

1:02:43

I can really taste the almonds. My

1:02:46

grandmother always said the secret was to grind

1:02:48

your own almonds, so the natural oils come

1:02:50

out. This is what makes

1:02:52

the almond flavor strong. You know, my whole

1:02:54

childhood, I would have done anything for

1:02:56

my mother to show me how to make this. My

1:02:59

mom was more firm than

1:03:02

affectionate, and we didn't

1:03:04

bond with things like this. My

1:03:07

father wasn't around much. It's

1:03:09

that damn mill that ends up killing

1:03:11

him, and in the end, it

1:03:14

killed her too. When

1:03:18

I was a teenager, I

1:03:20

saw that my father cared more about that damn mill

1:03:23

than his family. Sure, mom told me different,

1:03:25

but I knew. My mom

1:03:27

was very passive-aggressive too. She

1:03:30

had this uncanny way of guilting you into

1:03:32

doing what she wanted or making you believe

1:03:34

things were your fault. Well,

1:03:37

as soon as high school was over, I

1:03:39

got on the first bus out of town to any

1:03:41

college that would take me. I took

1:03:43

another big bite, which would be my last.

1:03:46

I swallowed the bitter cake, and I

1:03:48

took a big sip of water. I

1:03:51

was doing all right on my own. I

1:03:53

had a nice place, had a decent job. I

1:03:56

miss that life, but I

1:03:58

guess I can head back to it now. Plus,

1:04:01

it doesn't hurt that my mom knew how to invest their money.

1:04:03

Thanks for that, mom. She

1:04:06

was the financial brains, after all. Now

1:04:08

I just need to get this place sold, get my

1:04:10

inheritance, and head back to my life. Listen

1:04:13

to me, rambling on and on. I'm

1:04:15

sure you don't want to listen to all of this. I've probably kept

1:04:17

you long enough anyway. It's okay. I'm

1:04:20

used to people talking to me, but I really should get

1:04:22

back. I need to mark the delivery off before I get

1:04:24

into trouble for a late delivery. Sure,

1:04:26

sure. I'll walk you out. You

1:04:39

know, in a weird sort of

1:04:41

way, I should be thanking

1:04:43

you. What do you mean? Well,

1:04:47

based on my schedule, mom should have died in six

1:04:49

or seven days. I mean, with the

1:04:51

small amounts of cyanide that I've been putting in

1:04:53

her cheesecake for the past few months. She should

1:04:55

have so come to it next week, so you

1:04:57

really accelerated my plans. I

1:04:59

was stunned. Was she serious? You

1:05:03

know, you're not the only one who knows about

1:05:05

these sorts of things. Shit.

1:05:08

Those were my flowers. What the fuck was she doing

1:05:10

with them? My heart was racing. I

1:05:12

could feel my breathing starting to struggle. With

1:05:15

you poisoning that salad, I have an

1:05:17

alibi now. I thought about

1:05:19

using something like this, but cyanide was perfect.

1:05:22

Mom likes almonds. It smells like almonds. It was

1:05:24

a no brainer. Now the

1:05:26

slice I gave you was from a special cake

1:05:28

that I made just for you. And with the

1:05:30

amount that I put in, you should be dead

1:05:32

by the time you get to the highway. If

1:05:35

you hurry, though, you might be able to get some help. I

1:05:37

tried to speak, but it just came out as me

1:05:39

gasping for air. Oh,

1:05:42

you're not looking so good there, Jackie. You

1:05:44

should really get going. Oh, a word of

1:05:46

advice. Don't try and throw it up.

1:05:48

It'll just damage your airways more and you'll probably just suffocate.

1:05:51

Don't forget your flowers. Thanks

1:05:54

again for coming by. I put

1:05:56

the van into drive as quick as I could and started back

1:05:58

to the highway. I feel my heart pounding

1:06:01

now and my chest hurt. I

1:06:03

could simultaneously feel my head getting dizzy and

1:06:05

my stomach churning. I blew through a

1:06:07

stop sign and headed toward the highway. I

1:06:09

held the wheel with one hand and grasped at my throat

1:06:12

with the other. I turned onto

1:06:14

the highway and accelerated quickly. I

1:06:16

felt my eyes getting heavier. I opened

1:06:18

them quickly and caught myself from swerving into the

1:06:20

other lane. The pain was growing

1:06:22

inside me and I felt my insides on

1:06:24

fire. This is not the warmth

1:06:27

that I longed for. My eyes were

1:06:29

so heavy, I couldn't keep them open

1:06:31

anymore. My hand slipped off

1:06:33

the wheel and I felt my sense slim against

1:06:35

the driver's side door. As

1:07:24

the train pulls into the terminal,

1:07:26

we ask that you gather what's

1:07:29

left of your sanity and depart

1:07:31

the train. Thank you

1:07:33

for traveling with us on The

1:07:35

Sleepless Express. The

1:07:38

No Sleep podcast is presented by

1:07:40

Creative Reason Media. The

1:07:43

musical store was composed by Brandon

1:07:45

Boone. Our production

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1:07:50

Clement and Jesse Cornette. Our

1:07:53

editorial team is Jessica

1:07:55

McAvoy and Ashley McAnally.

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more sleepless horror

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Cubano, yeah, sounds delicious, but boom!

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be a sandwich worth celebrating. Trust me, your boy's eaten

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thing I can say with absolute fact, every

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bite is better with Pepsi. Everyone

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loves spring, but constantly shifting temperatures can

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design the ultimate home comfort system, and

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you'll be helping reduce carbon emissions by

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large or small homes, even in extreme

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climates, heat pumps can help you shift

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seasons comfortably. Learn more about Mitsubishi Electric

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products at patriotair.com